Seattle Children's Theatre Recommended Reading List for the
2002-2003 Season

Booklist prepared by Pamela LaBorde, Seattle Public Library. Books available from Amazon.com.

In 1899, life on the Nasel River in Washington is hard for a
13-year-old girl, and May Amelia Jackson is the ONLY girl in all of the Nasel
settlement. She learns from the women in her life -- the grandmother who blames
her for everything, the aunt who is her safe haven, and the mother who depends
upon her -- that being a girl doesn't mean you can't be strong. As a pioneer, she
learns that being independent can be as dangerous as it is fun, especially when
you are the only May Amelia. Based on actual diaries from Jennifer Holm's
Northwest family, this story brings the pioneering spirit to life for those who
wish they'd lived here 100 years ago. (Synopsis from
Seattle Children's Theatre website.)

Webmaster's note: Our ancestors traveled on the Oregon Trail
in 1847. Read some of the trail
diaries and other notes on Northwest pioneer life from our family.

Boston Jane: An Adventure; Jennifer Holm
Jane Peck has an adventure traveling by ship to the Pacific Northwest of the
mid-1800s. When she arrives, she lives with traders and Chinook Indians in
an environment where her east-coast training in etiquette is of little use.

An unlikely friendship begins when Sophie finds herself whisked
away to a strange land by a lovable Big Friendly Giant, who eats snozzcumbers,
not little girls. Together they must stop the gizzardgulpers from eating all the
human beans. Through the clever use of puppets--some that are truly
gigantic--Sophie and the BFG travel to London to ask the Queen for help.
Together they are able to bring peace and pleasant dreams to the world, and
Sophie finds a friend she can count on. (Synopsis from
Seattle Children's Theatre website.)

For Children

The BFG; Roald Dahl
Our oldest boy loves this story and all of the inventive details. Catch the animated story on
video too.

Boy: Tales of Childhood; Roald Dahl
What it was really like to be Roald Dahl growing up, with summers in Norway,
life in boarding school, and even a real life chocolate factory.

Join Peter, Susan, Edmund, and
Lucy as they discover a glittering landscape filled with talking animals and
magical creatures, a witch with the power to stop time, and Aslan, the great
lion king. Half a century since the Chronicles began, the story remains
fantastic and unforgettable. (Synopsis
from
Seattle Children's Theatre website.)

Over Sea, Under Stone; Susan Cooper
The three Drew children are excited about spending a holiday in Cornwall with
their Great-Uncle Merry. But Great-Uncle Merry isn't quite what he seems, and
when they discover an ancient map in the house, they find themselves in a
dangerous battle between good and evil. (This version of
The Dark Is Rising Sequence also includes Silver on the Tree, The Grey
King, and Greenwitch)

S. E. Hinton's story of rebellion
rocked a generation 35 years ago. Hinton's rich "socials" and low-rent
"greasers" may be bent on destroying one another for sport, but the costs of
winning or losing are irrevocable. THE OUTSIDERS remains a poignant anthem for
today's teens who continue to grapple with issues of class and violence.
(Synopsis from
Seattle Children's Theatre website.)

True Believer; Virginia Euwer Wolff
Living in the inner city amidst guns and poverty, fifteen-year-old LaVaughn
learns from old and new friends, and inspiring mentors, that life is what you
make it-an occasion to rise to.

The Romance of Risk: Why Teenagers Do the Things They Do; Lynn E. Ponton, M.D.
Go inside the minds of fifteen troubled adolescents to catch a glimpse at
today's teenage experience. Challenging traditional views of adolescence and
offering a constructive new model for understanding teen behavior, this is
an essential for today's parents.

Remember when learning to read was more magical than anything
else in the world? We do, especially those of us who grew up with P. D.
Eastman's GO, DOG. GO! This play gives literacy an entirely new spin. Full of
spectacle, dance and circus appeal, our colorful dogs will travel up and down,
over and under, and straight into your heart. (Synopsis from
Seattle Children's Theatre website.)

Cosmo Zooms; Arthur Howard
All the dogs on Pumpkin Lane have a special talent, except poor Cosmo. One day
he starts his nap on a skateboard and finds himself taking the ride of his
life-and discovering his own talent.

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery; Deborah and James Howe
Told from the point of view of the Monroe's dog Harold, this humorous
read-aloud tale starts when the family adopts a bunny that has fangs
and nocturnal habits. Chester the cat is sure the rabbit is a vampire
bunny and sets out to prove it to the family with hilarious results.

This is the tale of a little boy who,
aided by angels, finds out he has a twin brother who lives "somewhere else."
Nicky sets off on an adventure, in search of this curious place and his
long-lost brother. Along the way he meets some of his favorite people--people
who exist only in his memory and imagination. (Synopsis from
Seattle Children's Theatre website.)

For Children

The Little Prince; Antoine de Saint-Exupery
An aviator whose plane is forced down in the Sahara Desert encounters a little
prince from a small planet who relates his adventures in seeking the secret of
what is important in life.

Set in the Elizabethan days of dukes
and duels, this mystery adventure blends the drama of William Shakespeare with
the story of Widge, an orphaned apprentice. Widge's cruel master has taught him
to write in a secret code. When the menacing Falconer arrives, willing to pay a
fortune for Widge, the boy is spirited away to a wealthy manor. Eager to please
his new master, Widge agrees to use his coding skills to steal the script of
Shakespeare's HAMLET. Caught up in the life of the players at The Globe Theatre,
Widge learns that everyone may not be as they seem, but truth and friendship
need no disguise. (Synopsis from
Seattle Children's Theatre website.)

Jack Black & the Ship of Thieves; Carol Hughes
Young Jack Black joins the maiden voyage of the world's largest airship, the
Bellerophon, captained by his father. Once aloft, Jack overhears plans to
sabotage the ship, but just before he's able to alert his father, Jack plummets
overboard and falls (literally) onto a ship of thieves. A page-turner of an
adventure-complete with a sea monster, a volcano, a quest to save the
Bellerophon, and a host of unforgettable characters.

William Shakespeare: The Man Behind the Genius: A Biography; Anthony Holden
William Shakespeare overcame unlikely beginnings, as a priest in
training and a lowly actor, to become a preeminent poet and
playwright. A spunky rags-to-riches biography that debunks the myths
and pulls a few skeletons out of Shakespeare's closet